VERGENNES, Vt. (WCAX) – You could not have asked for a better summer day in Vergennes. The smell of fresh kettle corn and live music filled the air for the annual Vergennes day festival. This celebration has been going on for 43 years now, bringing local vendors from all over the region to Vergennes. These two cousins are helping out their family’s businesses, one runs a cree-mee stand and the other works the kettle corn.
“It’s been nice to give people all their cree-mees,” said Olivia King of St. Albans.
“Where we are it’s right in the sun and with the kettle it’s really hot so that’s been a little bit of a struggle but other than that it’s been pretty good,” said Jacob Bergeron of St. Albans.
They’re just two helpers of many contributing to the community.
The Vergennes Union High School girls basketball team set up a dunk tank and is raising money with every throw. They are splitting the earnings for their team, the Vermont Veterans Place, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“We used the money to get jackets and some merch and then we also do a team camp and we make it so no players have to pay any fees to get in or summer league’s all free so we try to make as much as we can to be free and available for everybody,” said Ashtin Stearns, member of the Vergennes UHS girls basketball team.
Stearns says doing events like this is what being on a team is all about.
“It’s team bonding for sure, especially last year when it was freezing cold out and no one wanted to get in the tank but everyone had to show up and it makes it a real opportunity for everybody to be able to do the things that some families can’t afford or build the team up together so no one gets left behind and that’s a huge thing for us.”
If you weren’t able to come this year, this tradition will live on for many years to come and these two have a message for any future visitors.
“Come here and get the popcorn,” said Bergeron.
“Come get a cree-mee,” adds King.
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